The WTO wins, you lose your vitamins.

[Guest guest]

http://www.awakenedwoman.com/vitamins.htm

 

 

The WTO may be dangerous to your health!

 

 

DANGER SIGNS: Supplements may soon be regulated as drugs

 

by Gail Adrian

 

 

" Health food stores and vitamin companies are being lied to on the

Codex issue by Citizens for Health and by NNFA (National Nutritional

Foods Assn.) who have been calling it a 'non issue.' " John Hammell,

founder, International Advocates for Health Freedom.

 

 

Unbelievable as it may sound, the growing popularity of vitamins and

supplements is likely to lead to their re-classification -- and

regulation -- as drugs.

 

If these regulations are approved, you will have to get a prescription

to buy Vitamin C . . .

 

 

 

From prenatal to geriatric formulations, supplements have long been a

staple of the American diet. But in recent decades, the practice of

taking vitamins to maintain health, ward off simple colds and treat

serious illnesses such as cancer and heart disease has become an

integral part of a holistic health program. Most of us do not have the

time to cook nutritious meals three times a day. In addition, the

stresses of modern life deplete the body of valuable nutrients.

Exposure to pesticides, heavy metals, and other pollutants may be

mitigated by the use of high quality vitamins, minerals, and

micronutrients to our diet.

 

While many Americans find that a simple one capsule a day supplement

is sufficient to create a feeling of well being, some of us go a step

further. We research individual vitamins, minerals, and micronutrients

to fine-tune our bodies.

 

Many health professionals recommend the use of high potency vitamins

and herbs to treat a variety of conditions. Dr. John Heinerman, PHD,

in his book, Nature's Vitamins and Minerals (Prentice Hall Press,

1998) recommends a number of high potency vitamins to ward off colds.

He goes on to suggest that high potency vitamins can assist in

treating skin ailments, depression, cancer, and hypertension.

 

Gary Null is a leading expert in the field of health and nutrition. He

has written a number of articles and books on health issues. He also

leads workshops all over the country advocating a natural life style.

He maintains that healthy living can reverse aging, treat cancer,

heart disease, and generally revitalize the entire body.

 

Mary Ann Copson is a skilled wellness consultant and life coach who

has devoted her life to all aspects of family health. Her practice

involves an intricate series of consultations and follow up sessions.

Her wellness practice is also firmly rooted in diet and nutrition

along with exercise and stress reducing techniques. Vitamins play a

large part in her programs.

 

The growing consensus on the health benefits of high quality and

sufficient dosages of vitamins, minerals, and other micro-nutrients

has produced a new industry which has been growing exponentially for

the past thirty years. The natural health supplements industry

threatens to take a big bite out of the market for America's most

profitable commodity: pharmaceuticals.

 

As a result, our ability to obtain these treatments without a

prescription may soon be curtailed -- thanks to the workings of the

global economy.

 

 

 

" Harmonization " threatens to limit choice

 

Most people have not yet heard of the group, " Codex Alimentarius "

(Latin meaning Food Code). This group is part of the World Trade

Organization, a group of countries belonging to the United Nations.

Codex Alimentarius is very strong in the European Union, which is

working to create a more homogeneous and corporate structured Europe.

Codex is leveling a systematic attack against the individual

consumer's right to obtain natural health information.

 

Codex has stated that it is " Interested in protecting consumer health,

and maintaining fair practices in food trade, " and that its intention

is to create " coordination in the standards of food trade by both

government and non-governmental organizations. (Codex Alimentarius

standards, July 7, 1997, vol 62#129 available at iahf) But this group

is not a citizens action group with a vested interest in the health of

human beings. The Codex Alimentarius is composed of European trade

organizations, American agri-business, and the European pharmaceutical

cartel.

 

And the Codex Alimentarius also calls for the " harmonization " of all

vitamin supplements, and that's where the trouble begins.

 

Harmonization does not mean the unified working together of all

peoples to effect optimum health. On the contrary, harmonization is

the deliberate and systematic regulation and standardization of all

vitamin supplements.

 

Codex wishes first to limit the potency levels of vitamin supplements

to negligible amounts. This would destroy their therapeutic effects.

Codex is also seeking to eliminate the terms " therapeutic and

preventative " from all labels on vitamin supplements.

 

Natural supplements are in direct competition with pharmaceuticals.

Codex cannot be unbiased if it is made up of a group that has a vested

interest in pushing vitamins off the market so that pharmaceuticals

can capture the health market.

 

In England and France, it is still relatively easy to obtain vitamins,

but in Germany, which was once the vanguard for nontraditional

therapies, it is now illegal to sell vitamin supplements in health

food stores. Vitamins are now a regulated " drug " and even vitamin C is

only available through prescription. In order to obtain this

supplement, one must be subject to a rigorous interview by white

coated pharmacists. However, even if the medical personnel who

interview the applicant decide that vitamin C is warranted, it is next

to impossible to find supplements in the pharmacies. Because vitamins

are in direct competition with manufactured medications? According to

long-time medical researcher Jackie Buchanan, " The pharmaceutical

companies are planning a global takeover of the vitamin-herb industry

and within a few short years, they will have succeeded by pushing

competitors out of the field. They are planning to do it very quietly

and carefully through GATT and the Codex Commission. " (see Gary Null's

website)

 

Codex seeks to standardize all labeling, dosage, and trade rules for

supplements. According to Gary Null, it wants to establish a world

wide guideline stating that no dietary supplement can be sold for

preventative or therapeutic purposes. To support this trend, the FDA

and the National Academy of Science have promoted their own privately

funded research. It should come as no surprise that these documents,

funded with pharmaceutical money, support a plan to severely limit the

manufacturing and availability of vitamin supplements, The FDA and NAS

suggestions on RDA's (recommended daily allowances) for vitamins are

alarmingly low. Furthermore, they have not taken into account the body

of work done by practitioners who use and have documented the positive

results of high potency vitamin therapy. (See related articles in

www.garynull.com, www.laleva.org.)

 

Meanwhile, the initial steps to limit access to high potency vitamins

continue. In Greece, one can only purchase vitamins through

prescription. In Italy, vitamin E has been banned in dosages over 100

mgs. At this potency, vitamin E's ability to assist the body in

fighting heart disease is rendered useless. Germany requires

prescriptions for vitamin C over 300mgs. In Ireland, St. John's Wort

is illegal, and there is a ban on amino acids. New Zealand has

attempted to set limits on B vitamins and folic acid, and has banned

melatonin.

 

Suzanne Harris is a journalist and co-creator of Law Loft Report. She

feels that " The US has a need to find new markets for agri-business

with its rapid high volume production and we are producing (new

products) at a level the domestic market can't consume, so it's find

new markets or die. "

 

" It has been thought that agribusiness is in its best position to

compete on a world market. If we competed in a harmonized European

market we would do better than even European companies who were not

designed to compete in an international marketplace. " According to Ms.

Harris, the public loses because our interests are not being served.

All these decisions are being made by non-elected bureaucrats in off

shore countries. (Gary Null Natural Living radio show 12/27/00).

 

Are there untold dangers to consuming large doses of supplements? Not

according to Gary Null:

 

" The risk of dying from a properly administered medication is close to

200,000 people per year. The risk of contracting food borne and water

borne poisons is 278 million cases per year. This is based only on the

RECORDED cases of death.

 

" The number of people dying from taking vitamins is zero with under

about 3 to 4000 adverse reactions. Within 12 years there has not been

a single death from vitamins. (Natural Living radio show 12/27/00)

 

According to Dr. Matthias Rath, " At present there are 24,000

pharmaceutical drugs on the market without any proven healing effect

(according to data from the German health insurance companies). " (for

more information, see his website)

 

There is no compelling evidence to prove that vitamins should be

treated in the same manner as manufactured drugs. Yet they are being

looked at in the same light as medications.

 

According to psychotherapist Tamara Theresa Mosegaard of Denmark, the

European Union Scientific Committee on Foods (EUCF) has voted on the

upper levels of vitamin levels. It has also decreed that such valuable

supplements as CO- enzyme Q10, bio-flavinoids, and a host of amino

acids are dangerous.

 

In Denmark, the dosage for Vitamin B6 is set to 25 mgs. (The optimal

dosage is upward of 300 mgs)

 

In the Codex meetings in Berlin, the very same arguments brought

against supplements are being used to promote manufactured enriched

and genetically modified foods. This Alice in Wonderland type of

philosophy is being used to hoodwink consumers. For example:

 

France and Germany have proposed an amendment to article 5 (Maximum

levels of supplements). They want the maximum levels contained in

vitamins to take into account population consumption of fortified

foods. For instance, if you are purchasing a highly refined sugar

cereal that has processed levels of synthetic vitamins, you will then

be restricted in your ability to obtain natural supplements of the

same vitamins, on the premise that you have already obtained your

optimum level of this nutrient in your food. To get more of the

nutrient from a supplement will endanger your health by creating an

" overdose " . This kind of restriction will only be possible after Codex

has succeeded world wide in classifying vitamins as drugs. Also, it is

important to bear in mind, there never has been an agreement as to

what the top-level potencies of certain vitamins are. Furthermore,

only the researchers who have been funded by pharmaceutical companies

are using this overdose argument. All this is just a vehicle to

further the marketing of manufactured and genetically modified foods.

(Natural Living 12/27/00).

 

Just to give a comparison so that you understand the degree of

limitation that Codex is attempting, let's look at the recommended

dosage for vitamin C. Holistic practitioners recommend 1000 mgs. (One

gram). This amount would be outlawed in the US if the pharmaceutical

companies that make up the Codex Alimentarius successfully carry out

harmonization. Remember Germany. There the allowed dosage for vitamin

C is 300 mgs. In Germany, health food stores are not allowed to sell

supplements at all.

 

It is quite possible that similar restrictive measures against natural

supplements could be enacted in our own country. Since America is part

of World Trade Organization, and the World Bank, we are subject to

international trade policies. These policies are made to benefit

international pharmaceutical companies, and agri-megabusiness.

 

When the United States became a part of the World Trade Organization,

we agreed to play according to Global Trade Rules. The USA, along with

the other European Union members, can force trade sanctions and nut we

may also face them ourselves. If Codex harmonizes the vitamins that

are already widely restricted in WTO member nations, we, as a member

of the WTO, will have to join the harmonization. If we don't, trade

restrictions could be placed upon us. This corporate bullying would

override our present standards for the high potency supplements

Americans presently enjoy. To not enter into the European Union's

harmonization process would mean millions of dollars of lost revenues.

American business will not stand for that. Corporations are not

interested in freedom of health choice if it interferes with

international trade.

 

Many people are under the impression that we are protected from

harmonization. This is not true. John Hammell has been fighting the

restriction of vitamin dosages for more than a decade. He explains in

detail what we stand to lose by harmonization of vitamins and how it

could happen even though free trade law theoretically protects us at

his website.

 

The WTO dispute settlement panels can put economic pressure on its

members which will in turn affect the ability for us as consumers to

purchase vitamins. The WTO is a powerful global bureaucracy where

non-elected bureaucrats operating in the interests of corporations are

empowered to decide the fate of American citizens. If any local,

state, or federal law of a WTO member country is found to violate the

organization's trade rules, the trade agreements supersede federal

law. Taking advantage of WTO agreements and regulations, corporations

have attempted to undermine a variety of safeguards against

destructive practices from measures to eliminate the use of leg-hold

animal traps, to laws protecting dolphins from unsafe tuna fishing

practices.

 

Establishment of the WTO was controversial all over the world as it

placed international commercial interests above all other values,

including consumer safeguards, environmental and labor protections,

food safety, and human rights. " ( " US laws NOT safe " by Chris McGinn at

iahf website)

 

Here are some suggestions for Action

 

Democracy is a process. Democracy is an art. We must practice

Democracy in order to maintain it. We have a responsibility to protect

our freedom of health choices.

 

Unless we band together globally to protect our rights as individuals,

we will be swallowed up by corporate greed. Let us learn now to live

and work as a global neighborhood and protect our rights as citizens

of the world. As global citizens, we can work together to maintain and

protect our health. As global neighbors, we can help recover lost

health options while working to maintain the precious freedoms we

enjoy right now. If we don't put an end to corporate global health

restrictions, we could find ourselves bereft of valuable health choices.